Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-24
THE ACCIDENT SEEKER.

that | found myself compelled, few weeks
ago, to make night journey from Skanes
vile to Newton-Centres. The firm fol-
which travelled was bent on opening III
new territory" and sent me out As :
pioneer. Skanesville had not developed
any considerable desire for our goods, and
as It's alleged best hotel offered 4 most
undesirable compound OF bad food and
worse beds, I determined to effect NV
escape as soon rs possible. To call Skanes.
vile a cross-road town would be gross
fattery, for if there is such a term as a
" cross-ten-road town." then Skanesville !.
entitled to that designation 1t had been
3 difficult place 10 get to, but a study Of
railroad guides showed it was even 4 more
DIFFICULT place to leave. This was proba-
bly, the principal reason for the growth OF
the town-a fact on which Skanesvillitea
were given to Boosting Two trains left
tins inland paradise daily, at the convent
ent hours OF ll:30 p. NJ. and 4:25 \. NJ. To
get to Newton-Centres, | found should
nave to Change three times on the night
IRAN, and four or the early morning one.
As ! had two heavy sample-trunks, chose
the former. All Skanesyillc seemed to 90
to bed at 8, so shortly after that hour
went to the depot, hoping to find the ticket
agent little llyelier companion. In this
was disappointed, as he combined the
offices OF station-master, ticket-seller and
porter. In the latter capacity he had
shortly before wrestled with my trunks.
and when he unbappily recognized me as
their proprietor, he crushed severely all
attempts at familiarity. So | sat and
smoked, and walked and smoked, till
the train arrived, which it naturally did
about forty-fve minutes late. A sleeping
car was an unknown luxury on that road,
So | had the prospect of pleasant "sit-
up" varied by the numerous waits and
changes in store for ne Fortunately,
though the car was pretty well filled, |
found two unoccupied seats. and, having
had one turned over, proceeded to make
myself as comfortable rs possible, and tried
to catch nap. My comparative ease was
short-lived, for at the next stopping place
several people got on board, and though |
pretended to be asleep, one unfeeling indi-
vldual came and sat himself on such por-
ton of the front seat as my feet left un-
covered. ! watched him through my al
most closed eyelids, and did not like his
aspect. Something, did not quite know
what, gave his countenance a sinister look.
As he had moved towards the seat, no.
ticed that he limped slightly in his walk.
There was certainly a kind of what the
Scotch term uncanniness" about him,
and after few minutes | took my feet
from the seat, pretended to rouse up, and
mumbled wcrd of apology about having
taken up so much room. The stranger
begged me not to mention it, and suggested
that my feet did not inconvenience him.
The steady glare with which he seemed to
be regarding me soon became so unpleas-
ant that l proposed he should have the
seat turned over, and thus avoid the disa-
greeableness Of sitting with his back to the
locomotive
a don't mind that bit" he said " be-
sides it's more dangerous"
" More dangerousr y l repeated, in as
constituent.
eyes; haven't you noticed that in the
sleepers they always make up the berths
with the feet to the locomotive? That's
because if there's a sudden jerk YOU are
thrown forward. Now if your heads
against the forward partition, YOU proba-
bly,, in case Of an accident, have your skull
split or break your neck"
"Then aren't you afraid of sitting that
way?" l asked.
No, like it,
[ began to fear that | had got into the
company of lunatic | knew there was
an asylum somewhere in the neighborhood.
This mans look, particularly in the one
eye on which the dim light of the lamp
fell, had that peculiar glitter which had
read was characteristic of the mailman,
And he never took that eve off me!
/ again nearly closed my eyes, and pre-
tended to be trying to sleep, but all the
time | was keeping a sharp lookout lest he
should develop any violent tendencies.
Soon the road-bed began TO get so rough
that a succession of sharp jerks nearly
threw me off the seat. Pretense at sleep
was no longer possible, so | sat up, rubbed
my eyes, and remarked:
This is Il pretty rough road"
you can betits about the worst | know
in the whole country. That's why Pm
working it. But Charley Hicks is driving
tonight but he's so careful Pm afraid there
isn't any chance"
There WIS no longer any doubt that the
man was mad. glanced round the car to
see if there was an unoccupied seat to
which | could conveniently move. There
was not. had heard it was always best
to humor maniacs so | thought would
draw him out
4" 1t seems TO me as if you wouldn't mind
being in an accident" | began.
Mind it! that's what Pm looking for ,
Do YOU think I'd ride on this miserable
road for anything else?'
| was clearly in for it now. | must keep
him talking and interested.
"Why do YOU want an accident?r
asked, expecting him to tell me how he
loved to hear the timbers smashing, the
glass splintering, and fairly reveled over
the scene of horror and suffering.
L live on EN-" he calmly answered,
but this internal road seems TO have a
grudge against me. I've been working it
for two months and must have spent nigh
on to a hundred dollars for tickets, and
haven't made cent. Only last week there
was beautiful smashup to this very tram,
and would you believe it, | was almost the
only passenger who wasn't badly hurt
l was just about to congratulate him on
his escape when | fortunately remembered
his mental condition, and checked myself
III IAe.
How do You manage to live on acct
dents p inquired.
Because I'm insured OF course. it
don't pay every one to get insured. It's
all lottery. bat so far. I've been very
fortunate. DO you see that leg ~ he said.
poking his right out towards me.
Il do"
Feel the ankle and foot"
Now, had no desire to investigate his
anatomy, but, as l was still uncertain of
his responsibility, | complied.
It feels pretty hard, l observed, after
lingering it very gently.
Don't be afraid of hurting me-" he
said otis woodr'
Wood - l calculated.
Yes, some time before my first aeci
dent--that foot was my first-a friend per.
suaded me to take out an accident policy.
l was professional billiardist, and l
Travelled about good deal playing matches
and giving exhibitions Well, | got into
a smash-up, and that's the result. | got
$4,000 for that foot, but my trade was gone.
/ couldn't move fast enough round table
to play in public, so l hired room and
went into the business of keeping tables.
II didn'f ray md 7 lost uaorIx oil MY